Carrying Capacity and Limiting Factors

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Ecosystem Noun

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[ee-koh-sis-tuhm]

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Ecosystem

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All the living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) factors that interact with each other in a particular environment.

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Example: This image illustrates coral reefs, showing their structure and importance, but does not directly explain the broader concept of ecosystems.

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Biotic Factors Noun

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[bahy-ot-ik fak-terz]

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Biotic Factors

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The living or once-living parts of an ecosystem, which includes all plants, animals, fungi, and various microorganisms.

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Example: This image shows many different living things in a forest, like animals, plants, and fungi, which are all examples of biotic factors.

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Abiotic Factors Noun

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[ey-bahy-ot-ik fak-terz]

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Abiotic Factors

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The nonliving physical and chemical parts of an ecosystem, such as sunlight, temperature, water, and soil composition.

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Example: The image uses the word 'Abiotic' to show examples of non-living factors in an ecosystem, such as water, rock, wind, sun, and temperature.

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Population Noun

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[pop-yuh-ley-shuhn]

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Population

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A group of individuals belonging to the same species that live in the same geographic area at the same time.

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Example: This graph shows how a population's size increases over time until it reaches the carrying capacity, the maximum number the environment can support.

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Emigration Noun

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[em-i-grey-shuhn]

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Emigration

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The movement of individuals out of a specific population to another area, which results in a decrease in population size.

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Example: The image shows deer populations on either side of a mountain range, illustrating how emigration occurs through a pass, affecting population dynamics.

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Limiting Factor Noun

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[lim-it-ing fak-ter]

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Limiting Factor

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An environmental factor, either biotic or abiotic, that restricts population growth, abundance, or distribution in an ecosystem.

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Example: This image shows many hands reaching for one loaf of bread, which represents a limited resource (like food) that restricts the size of a population.

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Competition Noun

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[kom-pi-tish-uhn]

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Competition

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The struggle between organisms of the same or different species to survive in a habitat with limited resources.

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Example: This image shows two types of competition: between members of the same species (left) and between different species (right), all struggling for limited resources.

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Succession Noun

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[suhk-sesh-uhn]

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Succession

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The series of predictable and orderly changes that occur in an ecological community's structure over time, especially after a disturbance.

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Example: This diagram shows primary succession, where pioneer species like lichens grow on bare rock, create soil, and allow larger plants to eventually form a forest.

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Carrying Capacity Noun

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[kar-ee-ing kuh-pas-i-tee]

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Carrying Capacity

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The largest number of individuals of a particular species that an ecosystem can sustainably support over a long period.

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Example: This diagram uses a bucket metaphor for carrying capacity. The bucket's size is the maximum population, reproduction fills it, and limiting factors cause overflow.

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Exponential Growth Noun

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[ek-spoh-nen-shuhl grohth]

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Exponential Growth

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A pattern of population increase where the growth rate is proportional to its size, often seen with unlimited resources.

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Example: This graph shows that as time passes, the population size increases slowly at first and then grows much more rapidly, creating a J-shaped curve.